Not Even Death
by AeriaGloris10
Summary: My first Titanic fic. Rose and Jack BOTH go onboard the Carpathia. FYI: I mixed up 'hypothermia' with 'hypochondria' xP. ONESHOT


Titanic is one of my favorite movies. I was heartbroken when Jack died and Rose was all alone in America (until she got married).

So, I decided to write my own little oneshot about Jack surviving! It'll be from both Rose's and Jack's points of view.

ENJOY!

* * *

The night brought a sort of calm over the last couple of hours. Those horrible last hours on that beautiful ship. For once, everything was silent. But it wasn't a good silence.

Right now, silence meant death. No one moved. Not a sound was uttered.

There were only a few people that were alive. They moved around clumsily, trying to keep from sleeping, and probably never waking up. Some failed miserably. Others kept fighting for their lives. Fighting to see their loved ones. Fighting to keep on loving.

Jack Dawson was one of those few who were fighting for their lives.

He was holding on tightly to the wooden door. He looked over at his beloved Rose, who was lying on the door. Jack checked to see if she was breathing. She hadn't moved in a while and it worried him. He was relieved when he saw a faint cloud of breath escape her lips and her chest rising.

God, it was so cold. Jack still remembered that ordeal back on Lake Wissota. When he had fallen through the thin ice and into the freezing water. That was nothing compared to what he was dealing with now.

_Heh, kind of funny, isn't it?_ He thought, _There were those first class folks, making bets whether we'd arrive in New York on Monday or Tuesday. I guess they're _all _going to lose their bets._

Everybody lost something on this voyage. Jack also remembered something he had said to Rose when the iceberg hit.

_Flashback_

Rose looked at the huge mountain of ice and asked Jack nervously "Do you think we hit it?"

Jack gave a short glance at the stern and answered her casually "It didn't seem like much of a bump…"

_End Flashback_

God, he felt stupid right now. 'Not much of a bump'. It was a HELL of a bump. Now there they were, trying to survive through the night.

As the eternal minutes passed, Jack knew that he couldn't last much longer. He was slowly succumbing to hypochondria. Why weren't those boats coming back? They weren't _that _far away from the wreck! Jack saw the hundreds of bodies in the water. He could have sworn he saw a dead woman still cradling her dead baby. The sight broke his heart.

Jack's mind brought back everything that had happened in these last few days. Rose had tried to commit suicide by jumping off the back of Titanic. She tried to jump off when it _wasn't _sinking and jumped back in when it was.

Fabrizio. Tommy. Helga. _Cora_. Little Cora. Jack wasn't even sure if she'd survived. He knew that Helga had fallen to her death when the ship was barely hanging on by a thread. After escaping from the Third Class corridors, he never saw Fabrizio or Tommy again. Though, they were probably among all those dead.

He remembered when he had run up to the ramp to get on the ship. He wasn't even sure if that was going to be the last time that he would ever set foot on land again. He wanted so much to get back to America. Where he was born. Where he and Rose belonged.

Rose. Beautiful, young, fiery Rose. He couldn't even save her. She was so young, too young to die. Not like this. Jack turned his gaze up to the starry heavens. He prayed that Rose would make it through this. God, just…give her a chance. Give them _both _a chance.

Jack then heard Rose sing silently.

_Come Josephine_

_On my flying machine_

_Going up she goes_

_Up she goes…_

The very sound of that tune brought a tear to his eye. Would he ever hear the sweet sound of her voice again?

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, a light appeared. Also, a distorted voice. It sounded like "Is anyone alive out there?"

Jack said to Rose hoarsely "Rose, it's a boat! I knew they'd come for us!" Rose faintly answered "But, it's only one…"

Jack said disbelievingly "No. It can't be just one! They would never--" Then, he focused his sight properly. It _was_ the one boat. But…how were they going to save the survivors? There was already one half frozen man on it. Would there be room for more?

The boat was already rowing away! Oh God, no! They were _so_ close! Both Jack and Rose croaked out "Come back! Please, come back for us!"

Jack saw the light growing fainter and fainter. He turned away from it. It was over. He had failed to save Rose. He had failed and he would die with that guilt.

Suddenly, Rose sobbed out to him "I'll never let go, Jack. I promise!" And with amazing strength, she got off the door and into the water. Jack's hand never parted with hers. They couldn't anyway since they were almost frozen together.

When Rose's freezing skin touched the water, everything seemed to warm up. She and Jack swam towards the body of one of the officers. The one who had been blowing the whistle, trying to summon the boats.

She placed the cold whistle in her mouth and blew with all her might. The sound was faint at first, then it grew louder. Jack held on to Rose, giving her hope and strength to keep on whistling.

"COME ABOUT!"

Jack gave a large sigh of relief. The officer in charge of the boat had heard the whistle! They were saved.

The boat came through the throng of bodies and finally got to the lovers. Jack hoisted Rose up on the boat as the officers pulled her in. He was pulled in as well. He let out a shudder as he felt cold air on his lower body. Jack pulled blankets on Rose's fragile body. He proceeded to wrap his arms around her and kept her warm by rubbing his arms around her. At last, they were together. Jack smiled as he fell into a deep sleep.

Rose didn't know how long she had been asleep. She awoke to the sound of Officer Lowe's voice, yelling. He was also waving a flare around. Was there a ship nearby?

Jack also woke up to the sound of Lowe's voice. He felt so numb right now. He painfully looked towards where Lowe was staring. It WAS a ship! Jack whispered to Rose "Rose, it's a ship! We're saved! We're gonna see land again!"

Rose let a small tear of happiness escape her eye. Yes, they were going to survive. Nothing in the world could come between them.

---------------

Jack eyed the ship as it neared. The Carpathia. A heavenly name for a heavenly ship. They all waited as the boats were hoisted up and the survivors were loaded on. Jack helped Rose step up, since she was still weak from their ordeal. She managed a few steps but fell into Jack's arms. He carried her into the warm interior of the ship, where survivors were inspected by physicians.

After Rose was awoken with the help of smelling salts, she and Jack walked onto the steerage deck. Not many men had survived. They were happy to see that some of the First Class children were playing with the Third Class children. At least _something _good had come out of the disaster.

They both sat down on one of the few benches. They looked at each other and let out small giggles. Jack held Rose close to him and whispered "I told you, I'm a survivor." Rose whispered back "So am I."

They sat there for the rest of the morning, hearing snippets of conversation. It appeared that Bruce Ismay, the director of the White Star Line, had been branded as a coward, for getting on the last available boat and not helping passengers. The captain had gone down with the ship.

Rose then saw Cal. Jack saw him as well. He had half a mind to go over to him and punch him in the jaw. Because of him, Rose almost died. Rose just kept her hand over his to keep him there. He just covered himself with a blanket. Cal didn't deserve to know that Rose was alive. They would never forgive him.

They watched Cal silently as he made his way back up with the First Class passengers. Apparently, he had given up on looking for her. Rose did feel a little guilty since Cal would most likely tell her mother, Ruth, that she was dead.

Jack thought about what Rose had said right after they had made love under the boiler rooms, hours ago…

_Flashback_

Rose stared at Jack with sincere eyes and said "When the ship docks, I'm getting off with you."

Jack couldn't believe his ears. She would actually give up a luxurious life with a steel tycoon to be with _him_? He answered "That's crazy!"

Rose giggled and said "I know! It doesn't make any sense! That's why I trust it."

_End Flashback_

"Rose?"

"Yes, Jack?"

"You, remember what you told me…about…getting off with me in New York?"

Rose smiled knowingly. She had promised to stay with him. "Yes, Jack. I do remember. And I _am_ getting off with you."

Jack asked her "Even if we don't have any money and live poor for the rest of our lives?"

"Even in death, my love."

They moved in for a deep, promising kiss.

That night, they arrived in New York. The Statue of Liberty stood before them. Proud and mighty. Just like Titanic.

Jack and Rose beheld this amazing sight and thanked the heavens that they were seeing it. An officer came towards them and asked "Can I have your names?"

"Jack Dawson"

"Rose Dawson"

As the officer left, Jack looked at Rose curiously "Isn't it a little early for that?"

"Well, we are getting married, aren't we?"

They began to laugh just as they had laughed an eternity ago, when they walked around Titanic's decks.

----------------

Rose caught a glimpse of Molly Brown and Ruth as they got off the ship. They savored each step they took on dry land. Cal was nowhere in sight. She and Jack ran towards them. Ruth saw her daughter and let out a cry of happiness. She held her daughter close as they both sobbed in relief. Molly was hugging Jack tightly, nearly breaking his ribs.

Ruth turned to Jack and said to him in a far different tone than the one she had used long ago "Mr. Dawson, you saved my daughter. And for that, I will be forever grateful." Then, to Rose's surprise, Ruth pulled Jack into a sweet hug.

Molly began good naturedly "Well, I guess we should find a hotel, or something. We can't stay here forever!"

Rose then felt her pocket. There was something heavy in there. She pulled out the diamond necklace Cal had given her. The others gasped in surprise. It didn't even fall out of her pocket in all the commotion.

Molly advised "You should sell it Rose. A diamond like that is worth gold in the States!"

Rose only said "I made it this far without Cal's help. I think I can make it even further."

So, they all made their way to a hotel, ready to start over.

-----------------

Jack and Rose became husband and wife on May 4th, 1912, after mourning for the lost souls of the Titanic. With Molly Brown's help, they were able to support themselves, their children, and Ruth.

Jack became a successful artist and Rose made it big as an actress. They had five children. Helga, Thomas, Fabrizio, Cora, and Edward, all named after those they had met on Titanic.

The Great Depression didn't really hit them hard. One day, in late fall of 1929, Jack was on his way home from work and came across an interesting newspaper heading.

**Pittsburg Steel Tycoon, Caledon Hockley, Commits Suicide**

Jack brought the newspaper to Rose and they read through the story. Apparently, the crash had hit Cal's interests hard and he put a pistol in his mouth. Now, his children were fighting over his estate. Rose wasn't sure whether to laugh or feel bad for Cal. Jack merely commented "Well, we were born to die."

World War II came and their sons became soldiers. Fabrizio was injured in combat and lost an arm. This didn't stop him from marrying a beautiful French girl.

Grandchildren came along. Jack and Rose were still the vivacious couple they had always been. Jack contracted Alzheimer's Disease in 1980. He continued to draw and kept his love of life. He died peacefully in 1985. He and Rose had been married for seventy-three years.

Rose moved in with her granddaughter, Lizzy, when she was ninety years old. Lizzy was Edward's daughter. She never spoke about the disaster until Brock Lovett found a certain drawing from the Titanic wreck in 1996. Rose told hers and Jack's story, and she died peacefully in her sleep, finally reunited with Jack.

Nothing, not even death, could come between them.

* * *

Phew! I am SO glad I wrote this. If you're wondering who Cora was, she's that little girl Jack is dancing with during the party scene. In the deleted scenes, Cora was shown with her parents, trying to escape the water. But they couldn't. So, Cora was dead. Helga was that lady Fabrizio was dancing with.

Thank the Lord they released the Special Edition DVD! I don't know if I got all the facts about Bruce Ismay straight, so…yeah…

This is my first Titanic fic, so…REVIEW!


End file.
